ASUS EZ Flash and USB BIOS FlashBack: which to use and how
How to flash a BIOS on an ASUS board: EZ Flash 3 and EZ Flash from setup, USB BIOS FlashBack with BIOSRenamer when it will not boot, and CrashFree BIOS 3.
Delidded: CPU mods, cooling and old PCs that still earn their keep
The LGA 771 to 775 Xeon mod
Run a 45 nm Xeon in a Core 2 board: what the adapter sticker does, which chipsets cope, and how to get through the BIOS side. Five pages, in order:
Latest builds
BIOS settings that matter after a CPU swap
What to check in the BIOS after fitting a different CPU: defaults, recognition, C1E and EIST, vcore on Auto, memory speed, FSB strap, fans, SATA mode and a profile.
The best budget CPU coolers, and when the cheap one is enough
Budget CPU coolers that fit: a dual tower for most builds, a slim single tower, and a short 100 mm cooler for small cases and older boards, with socket checks.
How to flash a BIOS safely, on old and new boards
How to flash a BIOS without bricking the board: when to update, matching the exact model, backups, which flasher to use, steady power and a recovery plan.
Reading Xeon sSpec codes before you buy a used chip
How to read the etched lines on a used LGA 771 Xeon from a listing photo, tell C0 from E0, spot qualification samples, and what to ask the seller first.
Choosing a CPU air cooler: towers, low-profile and what the numbers mean
How to choose a CPU air cooler: towers, top-down and low-profile designs, heat pipes, fins and fans, noise figures, socket mounts, clearance and when an AIO fits.
BIOS, microcode and CPU lists
LGA 771 Xeon microcode
Why a desktop BIOS may not know your Xeon, and what to add.
Microcode in an AMI BIOS
Patching an AMIBIOS 8 image and flashing it back safely.
Microcode in an Award or Phoenix BIOS
The same job for Award and Phoenix-Award boards.
LGA 771 and 775 CPU list
Every quad-core chip of both sockets in one table.
Does my board support this CPU?
Model, revision, support list, BIOS version: the order that works.
CPUID, stepping and sSpec
Read the codes that decide which microcode your chip needs.
Modkit calculators
LGA 771 compatibility checker
Pick a Xeon and your chipset, get a pass or check strip.
FSB overclock calculator
Core clock, bus rating and memory speed from FSB and ratio.
Cooler TDP headroom
Estimate overclocked heat against a cooler rating.
PC power supply calculator
Add up an old build and pick a sensible supply size.
Parts bin picks
Parts links can earn us a commission.
- Clone
Macrium Reflect X Home (disk imaging and cloning)
Clones an old hard drive to a new SSD and keeps image backups; paid software for Windows.
Order from Macrium Software
Web design notes
Beginner lessons with code you can paste and run: the CSS tutorial (two small projects), the JavaScript tutorial and an online HTML editor to try them in.